Podcast Like It's ...

For the third episode of West Wing Wednesdays, we brought on Alex Berger, writer on the upcoming Law & Order offshoot, For the Defense, to talk about A PROPORTIONAL RESPONSE.
We talk about how the audience must suspend their disbelief in the show's bombastic dialogue, and view the characters more like superheroes than real life political figures, to better tune into what it's trying to achieve. We also discuss the cycling between optimism and pessimism toward real world politics that affect that era's fictionalized representation of the white house. 
Find Alex at: twitter.com/alexbergerla
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Actor Talia Tabin (Host of Friends Talk Frasier and Feelings) joins Phil in discussing pop icon Christina Aguilera.
We talk about how Aguilera's music spoke to a generation of pre-teen girls, compare and contrast her career to similar pop stars and actresses, such as Britney Spears, and break down some of her more popular songs and music videos. We also talk Kristen Stewart, Moulin Rouge, and some VERY outdated 90s fashion choices.
Find Talia at: taliatabin.com
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Writer/Producer Anupam Nigam is back on the feed to talk about the second episode of The West Wing, "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc".
In this episode, we discuss the poorly aged Sam Seaborn subplot of 'rescuing' a call girl, as well as some of the shameful gender roles at play. We also contemplate how this show changed the American view of politics, and how much we expect from our political leaders.
Find Anupam at: twitter.com/anupamnigam
Patreon: patreon.com/podcastlikeits1989
Twitter: twitter.com/podcastlikeits
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Director and documentarian Simon Ennis (Lunacry!, You Might As Well Live) makes his long overdue return to the show to nosedive into the world of capital punishment, holocaust denial, and coffee with Errol Morris' critically lauded documentary MR DEATH.
We discuss whether or not it is a filmmaker's responsibility to educate their audience, our thoughts on capital punishment, and go in depth into the bizarre character that is Fred A. Leuthcer, Jr. We also break down some of the unique filmmaking techniques and technology used in the making of this doc.
Simon Ennis is the director of the features "Lunarcy!" and "You Might As Well Live" as well as various television projects. His latest effort "When Country goes Pop", a documentary in Netflix's upcoming music series "This Is Pop", premieres June 22nd.
Find Simon at: twitter.com/this_is_siguy
Patreon: patreon.com/podcastlikeits1989
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In the inaugural episode of West Wing Wednesdays, writers Alan Sepinwall (Rolling Stone) and Emily VanDerWerff (Vox) join Phil in discussing the pilot episode of Aaron Sorkin's television classic. 
How do the political views of this show hold up today, and do the views even matter if its entire viewpoint on politics is ludacris? We discuss the major pitfalls this critically acclaimed political drama faces through a 2021 lens.
Find Emily at: vox.com/authors/emily-vanderwerffFind Alan at: rollingstone.com/author/alan-sepinwallPatreon: patreon.com/podcastlikeits1989Twitter: twitter.com/podcastlikeitsInstagram: instagram.com/podcastlikeitsReddit: reddit.com/r/PodcastLikeIts

Writer/Producer Patrick Schumacker (Harley Quinn, Powerless, Surviving Jack) offers up his animation expertise for our episode on the anime classic PERFECT BLUE.
We descend into the Satoshi Kon's disturbing fable about the cost of fame, to discuss how its themes remain relevant in the age of superhero blockbusters and multi-film studio contracts. We share our personal experiences with massive fanbases, discuss the aspects of this movie that were way ahead of its time, and, of course, break down its relationship to Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan and Requiem for a Dream.
Find Patrick at: twitter.com/PMSchumacker
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We're joined by musician Scott Cassucio to discuss the third album in Nine Inch Nail's discography, the flawed masterpiece; THE FRAGILE.
We discuss 'industrial rock', and how Trent Reznor's work parallels the work of the filmmakers he frequently collaborates with. We also tackle the mididentification of NIN as 'nu metal', the stylistic trajectory of the band, and the transcendent nature of their live performances. Grab your best pair of headphones, and join us in revisiting this iconic piece of rock history.
Find Scott at: https://lettersend.bandcamp.com
Patreon: patreon.com/podcastlikeits1989
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Writer Emmy Potter is back on the show to talk about TUMBLEWEEDS, the bizarrely tender black sheep of Gavin O'Connor's filmography.
We talk about how this movie portrays a positive mother/daughter relationship without falling into overdramatic cliches, and how the plot probably should have stayed on the road to keep its momentum. Plus, surprisingly enough, things get contentious as we discuss what defines a successful movie, and how viewers should interact with the media they consume. 
Find Emmy at: brightwalldarkroom.com/author/emmy-potter
Patreon: patreon.com/podcastlikeits1989
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This week, we are joined by our SJW (Senior Jewish Correspondent) Toby Herman to discuss Liberty Heights, the fourth and final entry in Barry Levinson's 'Baltimore Films'.
Although Liberty Heights is the primary focus, we take on the entirety of Levinson's semi-autobiographical tetralogy (Diner, Tin Men, and Avalon) to discuss what works, what doesn't work, and how his directorial style evolved, and culminated with Heights. We also take the opportunity to share our very different experiences growing up Jewish, and how those experiences are reflected in these films. Not to mention, this movie has baby Adrien Brody and Ben Foster, and THAT is a giant plus!
Find Toby at: tobyherman.comPatreon: patreon.com/podcastlikeits1989Twitter: twitter.com/podcastlikeitsInstagram: instagram.com/podcastlikeitsReddit: reddit.com/r/PodcastLikeIts

Critic Darren Franich (Entertainment Weekly) joins us to take on David O. Russell's critically acclaimed war satire Three Kings.
Lauded at the time of release, Three Kings is nowhere close to being the household name that other 1999 films have become. We try to suss out the truth behind the wild production stories (of which there are many) surrounding this film, and how they may have contributed to its lack of nostalgic recognition. We also tackle the careers of the titular three kings (+ Spike Jonze), and the influence of this movie's unique aesthetic. In addition to sharing our experiences with EW in the 90s, Darren explains how the magazine's cultural cache allowed him to see this dark comedy at a young age. 
Find Darren at: ew.com/author/darren-franichPatreon: patreon.com/podcastlikeits1989Twitter: twitter.com/podcastlikeitsInstagram: instagram.com/podcastlikeitsReddit: reddit.com/r/PodcastLikeIts